Resources > Ask Jeff How can you say that God is not angry at us? Posted by Rev. Jeff Dixon, Senior Equipping Minister of CCC on Aug 23, 2006, 09:19

Hey Jeff!

I have heard teachers say and I have even heard you say, “Relax, God is not angry with you and He probably isn’t so ticked off He is going to hit you with a lightning bolt!”

At least you say something like that. Right?

My question is:  How can you believe that? God was angry at the people of Israel all the time and I just have to believe that God is very angry at me when I sin?

Signed,

He is Mad at Me!

Dear Mad at Me…

(Not that you are mad at me, or, you know what I mean)

I heard someone talking about the fact that they know people who believe that God spends most of His time being angry at people. God is angry at everything according to what they said. They went as far as to say that they LIKED it when God was angry at them because it is one of the ways they stay obedient!

That has to be some of the most bothersome reasoning I have ever heard. I realize there are always those that might disagree over whether or not God is angry at us, but never listen to someone who says they LIKE it when God is angry at them. That is unhealthy, unspiritual, and masochistic at best!

Biblically you need to remember that the anger of God was directed at a nation, Israel. But this is another one of those times that you have to take Scripture in light of Scripture and let it speak and complete itself whenever possible.

All of God’s wrath was poured out on Christ. That gives us Romans 8:1 where we discover we are no longer under condemnation. Not only did God pour out His wrath on His son but then bestowed upon us the righteousness of Christ, this of course is based upon our relationship with Jesus.

Instead we live in an era where God has chosen to deal with us in His love. The reason is because He said He would. Now God does have every right to be angry at all of us, no doubt about it! But if God were really angry at us, like some might suggest, He would have wiped us out a long time ago (or at least He would have wiped me out!)

God does discipline us according to Hebrews 12, but that is the discipline of a loving Father who disciplines without anger and ALWAYS for the right reasons!

There are some followers who take the text too far and think that every time something bad is happening to them that God is disciplining them. That isn’t what is being talked about. Someone told me about a person who had decided (seriously) that the call of God in their life was to a living example of how to press on when everything goes wrong. In other words they were to be the suffering servant. Problematically, this is offered with way too much pride, if God did call you to that, you would never say it publicly. Beyond that, obedience means as we follow we aren’t comparing our lot in life to others…to get to this point, you have to do way too much comparison following, and last…it just doesn’t line up to Scripture. So in other words it was a spiritually incorrect and immature conclusion….

Most of the time things happen to us in a negative sense because we live in a fallen world and bad stuff happens.

So I am going to stay where I am and keep teaching the things I teach. The reason is not because I have to be right, but because I believe it is Biblical and I sure am glad that is what the Bible says.

Does God get angry, sure He does. He has the full range of emotions that we know and I would imagine more than we ever could dream. Has He vented it at you and me…no and the fact that you are reading this right now and that I am typing it is proof positive.

Relax, worry instead about being a serious visible, vibrant, and vital follower!

My answer didn't make you mad...did it?